Lindera obtusiloba
blunt-lobed spice bush
A large deciduous, dioecious shrub to 6m, with broad leaves mostly three-lobed at the tip, turning bright butter-yellow in the autumn. Small mustard-yellow flowers in clusters on bare branches followed by spherical glossy, red-brown berries on female plants

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Size
Ultimate height
4–8 metresTime to ultimate height
20–50 yearsUltimate spread
4–8 metresGrowing conditions
Moisture
Moist but well–drainedpH
AcidColour & scent
Stem | Flower | Foliage | Fruit | |
Spring | Yellow | Green | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
Summer | Green | |||
Autumn | Yellow | Brown Red | ||
Winter |
Position
- Partial shade
Aspect
West–facing or South–facing or East–facing
Exposure
Sheltered Hardiness
H5Botanical details
- Family
- Lauraceae
- Native to GB / Ireland
- No
- Foliage
- Deciduous
- Habit
- Bushy
- Genus
Lindera can be deciduous or evergreen trees or shrubs with aromatic leaves and small star-shaped dioecious flowers in axillary umbels in spring followed, on pollinated female plants, by glossy berries
- Name status
Correct
- Plant range
- Japan, China, Korea
How to grow
Cultivation
Grows well in most fertile, acidic soils in a woodland scenario. Male and female plants need to be grown in order for the female to bear fruit
Propagation
Propagate by seed sown in containers in a cold frame in autumn or take softwood cuttings in early summer
Suggested planting locations and garden types
- Cottage and informal garden
- Flower borders and beds
- Wall side borders
Pruning
Pests
Generally pest-free
Diseases
Generally disease-free
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